


Once Around the Park

by AnonEhouse



Category: Iron Man (Comic), Iron Man (Movies), Iron Man - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Crack Treated Seriously, First Meetings, Fluff and Crack, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-12
Updated: 2014-01-12
Packaged: 2018-01-08 10:46:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,940
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1131729
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnonEhouse/pseuds/AnonEhouse
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A totally non-canonical version of how Tony and Happy met. </p><p>(Although it's entirely possible that Marvel simply refused to tell the truth. I've read at least 2 different versions in the comics.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Once Around the Park

(If you are reading this on any PAY site this is a STOLEN WORK, the author has NOT Given Permission for it to be here. If you're paying to read it, you're being cheated too because you can read it on Archiveofourown for FREE.)

Happy finished his beer and considered buying another, but decided against it. The night was still young; he might find something interesting to do, or at least watch. He didn't have money to pay for entertainment, but this was New York City, there was street theater of one sort or another. He left the bar and stretched, feeling the long muscles moving in his arms and shoulders with satisfaction. Maybe he wasn't fast enough to make it in the ring, but when he socked someone, they stayed down, by God. 

He heard sounds coming from the alley behind the bar, and quickened his step without thinking about it. That was the sound of fists going into flesh. He was just going to look, it wasn't any of his business if people got drunk and brawled, but one glance told him this wasn't a fair fight. Three against one was bad enough, but the kid in the tight gold trousers and glittery sweater was being held against the wall, with his high-heeled boots dangling while the other two men took turns punching him.

A hooker, Happy figured, and one young enough, and stupid enough, to approach the wrong guys. Not that anyone was _right_ to be taking advantage of a kid. Couldn't be more than fifteen, and a scrawny fifteen at that. "HEY!" Happy yelled and waded in, glad of a chance for the free exercise, and not to have to fuss with wrapping up his knuckles and getting yelled at for sloppy footwork. He went for the biggest guy first, and was pleased to see the hooker had enough spunk to kick and claw his way free. The kid wasn't doing much damage, but he was a good distraction, cussing inventively and throwing himself into the attack wholeheartedly, even though he obviously didn't know what he was doing.

Happy knocked the first guy dizzy, and then he took care of the second with a solid punch to the stomach, always a weak spot with punks; too lazy to work the abdominals. The third guy cried like a baby when Happy busted his nose. "Put your head down, and put ice on it!" Happy advised him.

The hooker lunged past Happy, heading straight back into battle. Happy grabbed him by the back of the sweater. "Hey, hey, no kid." He laughed and held up his hands when the kid turned on him, fists raised. "I'm on your side. C'mon, they rang the bell on this round. Let's go." He put his arm around the kid, and felt the trembling as he guided him out of the alley. He wouldn't bet on whether it was because the kid was scared, or because he was mad. "How do you feel? Wanna go to the hospital?" he asked, belatedly thinking that maybe they'd done some real damage. He tugged the kid under the nearest streetlight and moved the kid's chin to check the eyes for concussion. The kid had the biggest brown puppydog eyes he'd ever seen. Job asset, he supposed.

"No! Oh, hell no, I can't," The kid said, jerking his head from Happy's grasp. "They'd report it."

"I dunno. Maybe. All right, you got someplace to go? Someone to take care of you?" Happy didn't feel comfortable using rude words, like 'pimp'. Hookers got even less respect than wannabe boxers. "A daddy?"

The kid's eyes went totally round. "What?"

"You know. Whoever..." Happy wondered if maybe the kid was so new at it that no pimp had put him in his stable. Did they call it that? "Anyway, I don't think you should be on the street any more tonight. You've got blood on your clothes. Cops'll ask questions."

"Yeah." The kid looked down at his sweater. "Daddy would just _love_ this." And then he pouted, full bottom lip and the whole act. "I can't go home like this."

Happy felt like he'd stumbled over a cardboard box full of puppies in the rain. He sighed. "Ok, fine. You can come home with me. I've got a first aid kit and I can wash your sweater in the tub." The kid gave him a sideways look, sure _now_ he decides to be careful, and then nodded.

Happy headed towards his apartment building. "People call me Happy," he said. "What can I call you?" He had never taken a hooker home, and somehow he felt if he had a name for the kid, he could pretend it was just a friend.

"Tony. Everyone calls me Tony." Tony grinned at Happy. "You were great. I didn't say that, I should have. I didn't get to see much, but I really thought you were great."

Happy felt his chest expand a little. Just a little. "I'm a boxer. Well, sorta," he said, impelled by honesty. "I mostly get paid to spar. I'm too nice, I guess, don't like to beat on fellas once they're hurt. So, I didn't do much in the ring. You won't have heard of me."

Tony nodded. He seemed interested, and Happy hadn't had anyone to really talk to for a while, so he chatted while they walked the few blocks to his home. He told Tony about the few highlights in his life and his few modest dreams for the future. "I like cars. I don't know enough to be a mechanic, but I've got an old clunker to run, and I do odd jobs around the building. I'm strong, and I'm reliable. That's important. If you tell someone you're gonna do something, you gotta be there, and do it." Happy nodded as he unlocked the door to his apartment. "Here we are."

"Uh huh." Tony put his hand on Happy's arm and gently squeezed his biceps. "I can tell you're reliable."

Happy blushed. "Ah. I'll just go get the first aid kit." 

"Sure, thanks!" Tony was poking curiously at Happy's toaster oven when he returned. "I didn't break it," he said hastily.

"I know, it's been busted a while. I just haven't got around to tossing it yet. Stand still." Happy helped Tony pull off the sweater, and then he examined the bruises on Tony's skinny ribcage. Tony winced, but not much. "Nothing broken," Happy decided at last. He smoothed arnica salve on, and covered it with gauze. "You hurt anywhere else?" He knew he was blushing again, and trying not to look at Tony's cute, gold-covered, ass.

"Nah, I'm good."

Happy picked up the sweater to rinse out. "They lock up the drier at night, so I'll hang it over the shower bar, but the sweater won't be dry before morning." He cleared his throat. "So. You know. You can stay the night. If you want. And... you know, just sleep. You're cute, but you don't owe me, not like that. And you're only a kid. It wouldn't be right. Ok?"

Happy would have sworn it was impossible, but Tony's eyes grew even larger. Tony put his hands in front of his face, and his shoulders shook. Happy was even more embarrassed. A little human kindness shouldn't be so rare as to make a kid cry. He gathered Tony against his chest and patted him gently on the back until he stopped shaking. When he finally pulled back, Tony's face was pink, but he was smiling. "You're one of a kind, Happy. A real white knight. Thank you."

"Yeah, ok. I'll just... go wash this. And hey, you want something to eat? I've got... um... tuna... we could have sandwiches?"

Tony grinned. "I love tuna sandwiches."

 

They ate and drank ice-cold milk and then they went to bed. Happy put on his pajamas, like usual, but he didn't have anything that wouldn't fall off Tony's skinny hips, so he just gave the kid one of his t-shirts from the gym. He turned off the light and settled into bed on his side like normal, and after a minute he felt the covers shift. Tony lay down next to him. It was nice. Warm and friendly, without meaning anything. "Good night, Tony," he said.

"Good night, Happy."

 

"Hey, where'd you get the toast?" Happy said, following his nose into the curtained off section he called the kitchen to see Tony munching on peanut butter smeared Wonder Bread toast.

"I jiggered the toaster oven. It was just a loose wire."

"Thanks! You're a genius, I'd have never figured that out." 

Tony looked so pleased, Happy couldn't resist ruffling his hair before he stuck a couple pieces of bread in for his own breakfast. "So, how about I get the car and drive you home?" Maybe the pimp would think Tony had been working when he saw Happy and wouldn't be mad. And maybe he'd be mad, and Happy would punch him a few times.

Tony grinned. The kid really had a sweet smile. Happy hoped life wouldn't knock that out of him. "Sure, I'd love it! I live in Manhattan. Is that too far out of your way?"

"Manhattan?" Tony's pimp lived in Manhattan? Maybe it was an upscale House and Tony wasn't usually on the street. That made Happy feel a little better. Maybe. "Sure, Manhattan's fine."

 

"This is it?" Happy looked around dubiously. "This place is the whole block, Tony. Are you pulling my leg?" He felt a little sad that Tony hadn't trusted him. After all, he'd let Tony know where _he_ lived.

"Um, yeah, well, I have... a friend in the servant's quarters."

"Oh." Business, then. "Are you sure? I mean, you got beat up once already for being in the wrong place at the wrong time."

Tony nodded. "Absolutely." He pointed. "That's the servant's entrance. You can drop me right off at the door."

"All right." Happy pulled up and watched. Tony ran up to the door, but before he reached it a tall, and very stern-looking butler flung the door open and grabbed Tony by the shoulders. Happy was tensed to leap out and rescue the little idiot when he realized the man was hugging Tony.

Ok, that must be his business. He started to back the car up so he could turn it around. Tony broke away from the butler and ran back to Happy. "Hey, no! Don't go, Happy, you've got to meet Jarvis."

"Um, Tony." Happy wasn't at all sure of the etiquette, but he was pretty sure hookers shouldn't go around introducing their johns to people. 

"It's fine." Tony laughed. "Oh, it's not what you're thinking. Jarvis is the family butler!" Tony turned to the butler, while Happy was still trying to get his jaw to shut. "JARVIS! You've got to help me convince Dad to hire Happy! He'd be great! He could be my chauffeur and bodyguard, and he makes a great tuna sandwich!"

"What?" Happy managed to get out. "What are you talking about?"

Tony turned back to Happy, and gave him an exasperated look. "You need a job, right? You're reliable and strong? Right? I'm going away to MIT and I can't get a driver's license yet. You wouldn't make me leave my GTO at home, would you, Happy?" 

Happy looked at the butler. The butler sighed and nodded. Happy looked at Tony. "You're not a hooker?"

 

In later years Happy decided that the real reason Tony had hired him was so he could tell the story of how they met at parties.


End file.
